Corporate Corruption
by Ropihl
Summary: LutherxOC pairing. One Sphere programmer's journey through the corporate ladder leads her face to face with the most powerful man in 4D space.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey there, back with another Luther fic! This one is about Luther and an OC, as it said in the summary, but it also gives some insight on the other people at Sphere, including Oreas, Aire, some other random people, Blair, the whole gang. With some luck, this shouldn't turn out crappy!**

**Seeing how we don't ever get to see what it is really like at the company and the folks in 4D space get hardly any screen time, I thought that I'd give my rendition. Hopefully it is somewhat accurate .**

**But since I'm against Yaoi (sorry) I had an urge to write this story with one of my favorite characters, Luther Lansfeld.**

**Nyway, hope you like it! (rated T for swearing and some other stuff)**

* * *

She sat in her chair, three separate screens surrounding her on each side, her attention focused on the one in front. With one hand supporting her chin, she lazily watched as a small being, a character created by a player within the Eternal Sphere, dashed around a lush green environment, brandishing a sword as he fought his way through a massive army, letting out a terrible battle cry. Watching with little interest, having seen this sight hundreds of times before, she idly scanned through a file on her computer monitor, slowly clicking on things that caught her attention like annoying virus alerts and bugs that needed to be fixed.

A soft buzz caught her attention and she turned to her right, swiveling in her chair to face the display to her right, noticing the flashing yellow envelope at the bottom of the taskbar, informing her that she had received an email. She lifted her hand and placed a finger on the image, causing the letter to enlarge and encase nearly the whole screen, the print clear.

It read:

_Amera,_

_I'll be out for several days, beta testing a new program that still is riddled with bugs. Please inform the others that I will not be available for a while. I hope this doesn't cause any problems. Should anything happen, please consult with the Owner immediently._

Blair Lansfeld

Amera stretched her arms out, releasing the tension within your limbs as she placed her hands above the translucent keyboard, returning a message with:

_Blair,_

_Alright, I'll let them know._

Amera Phalan

She watched as the message was sent and turned back towards the main monitor, observing the character wielding the sword as he was brought to his knees, wounds having been inflicted upon him taking their toll as his life was quickly ended by the approaching militia. She smiled, knowing that some place far away, there was a boy cursing his monitor as he watched his creation crumble in defeat.

Working for Sphere wasn't entirely difficult. A majority of her tasks were flatting bugs and fixing errors found by players or part of the programming team which wasn't as hard as many though it would be. Her relationship with her fellow coworkers, Oreas, Aire, Leiria, and Shar, was healthy and they got together occasionally for an outings, leaving work behind as they enjoyed a quiet lunch or dinner.

Their association with their boss, however, was secure, to say the least. Luther Lansfeld, Owner of the Sphere Company, rarely concerned himself with his staff, choosing to communicate with them through the dreaded email or intercom, knowing full well that the only time he ever socialized was to give them corrections or the demand for improvements in their responsibilities. They hardly saw him face to face, which the programmers didn't seem to mind, harboring a slight unhealthy dread of their superior's reprimands.

Amera was no different. She had only met Luther once when she had first joined the team, greeted by the Owner himself and his sister, Blair as they gave her a less-than-warm welcome into the company. It was well over two years ago but it had been hard to forget as he towered over her with his height, watching her with cold blue eyes shielded by his blond hair that bent slightly into his face, acknowledging her with only a negligible nod. Amera held out her hand in a polite gesture to become acquainted with her future boss

"Hello, Amera Phalan," she said, introducing herself with a forced smile, hoping he would accepted the act. But Luther refused to return the deed and stood, moving his eyes between her hand and her face, causing her to lower her fist in a sheepish act of denial, putting on an awkward face.

"I believe I know who you are, Miss Amera. Putting aside your ignorance, welcome," he said, his voice unexciting and uninterested.

_Maybe he's a germaphobe,_ she thought, trying to reassure herself that her prospect of a vocation at Sphere wasn't going to be shot down because of her attempt to get on the right footing with the executive.

Blair had been more considerate and familiarized herself formally, offering a smile to calm Amera's nerves, knowing that they had been wracked at the sight of her intimidating brother. She had led her away out into the workspace where she and her soon-to-be coworkers shared, presenting her with her own office and latest computer.

"Here we are," Blair had said, stepping up into a rather small but comfortable seat surrounded by 3 massive mainframe displays. "I believe that this is your station."

"Uh, thank you, Ms. Lansfeld," Amera, replied, glancing around at the screens. Blair placed her hands on her elbows, nodding her head.

"Please, just Blair. Such official wording makes me feel old," she said with a smile, noticing her counterparts somewhat edgy approach. "Is there something wrong?"

Amera snapped out of her daze and blinked several times, tearing her eyes away from the monitor as several icons began blinking. "No, no, nothing. I was just…thinking."

"About what, may I ask?"

"It isn't anything important, please, never mind."

The elder raised an eyebrow, but dropped the subject, giving a friendly beam. "If there is anything you need help with or would like to say, feel free to speak to either me or one of the other programmers. I'm afraid that the Owner is far too busy to have us meet with him directly, I'm still quite surprised that he came to greet you. It is rather unlike him."

"I suppose I should feel flattered then," Amera said, reflecting on the man she had just met minutes before.

"Well, as a word of advice, do your best and don't slack. If there is anything that the Owner hates, it is people who are inefficient and unprofessional about their work. Needless to say, that is why you've been hired, to fill the spots that were left open when the Mr. Luther weeded out those not completely loyal or absolute about their careers." A slight frown came over Blair as she thought on the topic, but pushed it aside, gesturing for Amera to glace at the monitor. "You're familiar with how this program works, correct?"

"Umm yes, of course. I don't think I'd be here if I didn't," Amera responded with a grin, following Blair as she led her out to meet the rest of the employees.

_That Luther guy,_ she thought, _he hardly seems like the one the media portrayed._ _But I guess that's their way of getting attention._ She smiled politely as the Owner's sibling introduced her to her other equals, mind in a different place, pondering over her position.

* * *

**Well, there's the beginning. With any luck, I haven't lost too many of you gives sheepish grin I'll be back with more later!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Huh, this part is rather small . Oh well .**

* * *

Since at young age, Amera had always been pushed by her overbearing parents to travel to the Lost City and hold a job. As long as she could remember, her life centered around her becoming something great, her mother driving her far more than she needed. She had been ecstatic when she learned that she had passed her Career Placement Exam and she was now capable of being employed by the larger companies such as Sphere.

Technology was an ever changing field, one that offered the best chances of employment. When she was a child, Amera had been surrounded by it, her father having been fortunate enough to find work outside the home. He was absent most of her life and when called upon to describe him, she was always at a loss. But his voice was one that was etched in into her mind for he always called at least once a week to check upon his family. His voice was kind and gentle, reassuring and gave her encouragement on her accomplishments, encouragement that her mother seemed to neglect to give.

Once a month, he would return home, and every time he came he would bring with him a new "toy," something brought from his work which was some type of computer mainframe or handheld device. Hours were spent as she tinkered with them, taking them apart and reassembling them again.

It had taken her seven months to receive her pass allowing her to finally travel to the Lost City, only a little more than the average six. Having traveled alone to the metropolis, she took in the sights in silent wonder, marveling on how civilization had grown and how she had been missing out on such a big world.

It was then as she walked down a street, the transparent ground below her shoes, when she turned towards a large monitor, watching as what she considered commercials slide across quickly, catching her attention. She stepped towards it, watching with her head tilted slightly, studying it and the ads. A Sphere advertisement appeared, the logo of the major company flashing brightly and an image of a tall and rather handsome man emerged, a calm yet determined smile resting on his lips. By the title that located below his moving picture, it was none other than Luther Lansfeld, current Owner, as he called out for those who were brave and skilled enough to help create the Eternal Sphere a more pleasing and fun experience for all its players.

Amera had only played on the Eternal Sphere once when her father had showed her only a few months before, waiting for her authorization license. He was heavily against Sphere, claiming that they were far too powerful for their own good, accusing Luther of using blackmail and other tactics to keep his position and power. But as she watched, she forgot all her father had said and was draw into his face and features, thinking that perhaps Sphere wasn't as evil as her father supposed.

_Look at the Owner, _she contemplated, gazing at the screen, _with someone who looks like that as your boss, I hardly think they're THAT bad._

And this little thought spurred her to her eminent career, a slight respect and denied impulse to meet and know this Luther Lansfeld.


	3. Chapter 3

She was holding her head back against the metal part of her chair, looking up at the ceiling high above deep in thought when Belzeber passed from behind, catching a glimpse of her exhibiting a form of procrastination with her mind elsewhere. He stopped and folded his arms, a grin taking shape on his tainted lips. He stepped towards her.

"My dear Amera," he said in a mocked melancholy tone, catching her attention, "slacking will get you no where. Perhaps all this work is just too much for you."

Amera turned in her chair to meet him, returning an annoyed look, glaring at her manager. "Forgive me," she said bitterly, "maybe if you, Belzeber, took care of your own paperwork then us underlings would have to be so overwhelmed and would actually be able to continue with our own work."

Much to her displeasure, the would-be-Owner simply smiled, placing a finger to his lips and putting a hand on his elbow. "I'd watch the way you talk to your superiors, dear Amera. It wouldn't look good on record if I happened to show the beloved Owner his lackadaisical worker's habits of constant daydreaming."

The woman cocked her head to one side slightly. "The Owner wouldn't even bother himself with you, Belzeber, and you know that. Though, I am glad that you address him properly, even when he is the one that stole your company from your father. Perhaps that was Dagoun's plan from the start, it was plenty clear you were far too incompetent."

The man's eye twitched slightly, his lip curling upwards. It was well-known throughout the entire company of Belzeber's infernal hatred of the current Owner, accusing Luther of stealing what was rightfully his, his father's company and legacy. He glared down at the girl who sat with her hands in her lap, face blank, awaiting a response.

"You watch your tongue or you'll be out a job. I may not be the Owner, but I still hold authority over you," he hissed, leaning in closer, emphasizing his seriousness. He straightened himself again and held his head up high, continuing on his way as he walked passed her, his self-importance suffocating the air.

_Creepy bastard,_ she thought, turning towards the screen, deciding that he had indeed been right and a higher-up was surely watching her display and her inactivity.

It was then when Leiria peeked her head over the top of a monitor, looking down at Amera as she began sorting through a report. She lifted her eyes to meet those of her colleague.

"What was that about?" Leiria asked, watching her associate as she leaned back in her chair.

"The usual. Belzeber being an ass and poking his nose where it doesn't belong," she responded, flipping over a lock of her dark brown hair as it fell over her shoulder.

"Well," Leiria began, placing a hand to her chin, "he is our manager. Your lucky that after all these little spouts he hasn't fired you yet. Or at least commissioned to get you fired."

"He wont."

"What makes you so certain? It sure doesn't sound like he likes you."

"Were short handed around here. And besides, I enjoy making him angry, gives me something other to do than sit here staring at a computer screen for 8 hours." Amera reached over to a cup holder and picked up her latté, slowing taking a sip so not to burn herself.

"You do seem to take it upon yourself to annoy him a lot," her cohort agreed. "Odd how you defended the Owner though, recalling what you've told us of your first encounter with him."

Amera looked up from her cup, an eyebrow arched. "He's our boss, allowing someone below him to speak crudely of him would be insubordination."

"True enough. He's probably got this place rigged with cameras and microphones anyways."

Amera blinked slightly, she hadn't thought of that. _Huh, he probably does, now that I think of it. Not so sure if I like that thought or not._ She shrugged it away, placing her hot beverage down, moving a hand up to her monitor, opening a folder containing numerous archives. "By the way, Leiria, has your sister finished putting up that firewall on Server 39 yet?"

The other girl looked over her shoulder to where Shar sat studding a paper in her hands, her legs crossed and clearly agitated over something. "By the looks of it, I think you'd better ask her."

"Why, is she in a bad mood?" Amera asked, her response being a slight nod from the easily intimidated programmer. "I'll ask her later then." Leiria faced her again and nodded, leaving to complete her own assignments.

An hour passed in silence as the group continued with their doings, completing projects appoint to them. Oreas, upon finishing his tasks first, took it upon himself to entertain his remaining colleagues, conversing with his partners. Shar, as it was previously noted, was hardly in the mood for a small chat and coldly brushed him aside. Aire sat secluded from the others, pushing him away for he was slightly behind and he hurried to complete within the deadlines. Leiria never held up a conversation all that well, and with the others busy, he turned to Amera.

"Hey," he said, stepping into her workplace, alerting her of his presence. She swiveled in her seat to face him, smiling.

"Hi," she replied, returning the unnaturally friendly grin. "May I help you?"

"Nah, just thought I'd stop by. Ya know me, right? Ya know that guy across the room, hardworking and handsome? Yeah, that's me." He smiled all the while as he talked, playing humble and lighthearted, which was his nature.

"This is hardly the place for your little yarns, Oreas," she replied, holding her smile fast.

"Oh come on, your always like this at work," he whined, stepping closer to observe her blank displays. "You should lighten up and act like the person you are when were not here. I know, Belzeber's ego smothers us all, and Azazer isn't easy to get along with either, but you don't need to be so distant with us. We all know how you are."

"Those two do cause me a lot of stress," she admitted, ruffling a brow. "By the way, I thought I'd ask. Your nosey, so do you know why Shar is so irritable today?"

Oreas glanced over his shoulder at her as she sat seemingly calm yet a scowl still rested on her lips. "No, I didn't bother to ask. She's scary when she's crabby and I'm usually the target of her verbal attacks, so to keep what little dignity I have, I thought I'd stay clear from her until she's done fuming."

"Well you are annoying," Amera said, raising a hand to her mouth, inclining her head slightly.

"Thank you, my dear coworker, your so pleasant to be around."

She smiled honestly. "Let's make a deal. How about if I lighten up, you'll leave me alone?"

"If I didn't know you any better, I would think that you didn't like me," Oreas said, raising a hand to gently scratch his cheek.

"Deal?"

"Fine, alright. Deal."

"Good, now leave."

"I thought you were gunna be nicer."

"It only works if you leave me alone, remember?"

"Oh, right."

* * *

**Lol, I have no idea if Oreas is like that, but now he has a more amusing personality! You gatta have someone like that in the workplace, makes everything funner.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I haven't said this yet, but I don't own anyone, or anything. They all belong to whoever made them, don't recall them right now. Kind of negelected to do that.**

* * *

All four employees lifted their heads as they heard the loud groan of defeat emanate from Shar's transparent cubicle, her head thrown down upon the clear keyboard. It was commonplace for one programmer to become overwhelmed with a task and enlist help from another, but Shar had always insisted that she finished her work alone and without assistance, harboring a slightly large ego. But she had never let it get the best of her, until now.

Aire poked his head out from the side of his mainframe's display, eyebrows raised. "What's that all about?"

Leiria stood and moved towards her sister with measured steps and a sense of caution, knowing all too well her older sisters loud outbursts. "Shar?" she asked, her voice soft as a mouse, cooing for tolerance. "You okay?"

The elder sibling shot her head up and gripped each side of her face open palms, moaning in vanquish as the screen blinked several times, indicating that numbers had to be input and figures organized.

"Damn Firewall," she growled, glaring at the screen as she immediately regained her composure and began typing furiously. Almost at once, a red warning signal appeared, freezing the monitor and jamming the system. "Damn computer," snarled the frustrated programmer, angrily hitting button after button.

"Shar," droned Leiria, "you're going to break it like that. You know these things are sensitive."

"Shut up, Leiria," barked her sister, facing the screen as she again attempted to key in the correct passwords and codes. Again, she failed and she let loose an aggravated roar.

Oreas appeared from behind, a hand on the back of his head. "I know this is a dumb question, but would you like some help-"

"Of course that's a dumb question," she snapped, throwing a look up at him. "I don't need your help." He simply shrugged and turned, leaving her to her doings.

Amera watched with curiosity and slight guilt. It wasn't Shar's responsibility to finish the protocol, it happened to be her encoding that required the Firewall in order to properly protect the always-unstable Server 39. Working as a group, both women thought it wise to join up and construct it together, cutting the time they needed to do it, and supposedly the stress, in half. But it clearly wasn't going that way. She stood up and approached her, catching the curious eyes and the "Wow, you sure are brave" looks being shot at her.

"Shar," she said, causing her counterpart to glare up at her, "how about I give it a try."

"What?" she responded, eyes glinted. "I'm not letting you do that."

Amera was taken aback. "Why not?"

"Because it's simple. I'd be letting down my side of the bargain."

"Its no big deal, if you're having troubles-"

"I'm not having any kind of trouble," Shar grumbled, tone dangerous. Amera looked over her shoulder and was met with three wide pairs of eyes, watching in wonder as their coworker was treading down a very very dangerous path.

"Well, alright." She turned and walked back to her computer, sitting down slowly, noticing that her friends did the same and they all returned to their work.

Time passed quietly, the soft ramblings of Shar occasionally heard. Oreas, still slightly bored, logged onto the Eternal Sphere and sat playing a character during the feudal era of Rezerb within the Zeta Sector, one of the more popular servers. Amera and Aire, having also finished early, stood over his shoulder watching lazily, poking fun at whatever they could. Leiria watched from across the room, her natural shyness getting the best of her.

"You're going to kill him," Aire indicated, placing a finger on the screen near the strength and stamina bar of the individual.

"I'm aware," Oreas said, clicking buttons rapidly, fighting off a horde of axe-wielding warriors.

"You're outnumbered too," Amera pointed out.

"I'm aware of that as well, thanks. Now would you two stop being backseat players and be quiet?"

"Start playing better, then we will," Aire said, holding his head high as he grinned smugly. Oreas shot him a look but quickly returned to his game, struggle to defeat the soldiers.

Amera glanced over at Shar as she continued typing, her mood far more relaxed and calm. _Maybe she finally got out all the bugs,_ she thought, hoping it was so.

"No!" Oreas yelled, throwing his hands up, gripping his hair in his fists tightly. "Damn guy," he moaned, watching as his character fell to the ground in death. "Bah."

"Ha," mocked Aire. "Maybe you should keep to the shooting games, all you seem to be good at."

"Aire, your such an ass," said the man seated in the chair, resting his head on his palm as he propped it up with his knee. "Maybe you should just leave so I don't have to deal with you anymore."

"We're paid to deal with him," Amera commented, turning her attention back to the two men.

"Hmm…good point."

As the conversations progressed, Shar had approached them slowly, a minute disc in her hands, watching them as they bickered amongst themselves. Oreas was the first to notice, and he turned his head on his hands to meet her eyes, the others soon realizing her presence.

"Amera," she said, addressing the youngest of the three, "there's something I should convey to you."

"What's that?" she asked, all three of them holding the other female programmer in their sights.

"That Firewall is completely fried. There's nothing that can be done, at least not with our level of accessibility on the Eternal Sphere servers."

"So your actually admitting you can't fix it?" Oreas asked, lifting an eyebrow.

Shar gave him a dirty look, glaring daggers. "I'm not admitting anything. If I had more openness with it, then it wouldn't be so hard. But the damn Owner doesn't allow anyone that close to the core, save himself."

"Well, what are we going to do?" asked Aire. "This is a serious problem, seeing how there are still players projected in the game. We can't just leave them unprotected without the latest shield against viruses. They're be a frenzy."

"Feeding frenzy, more like it," input Oreas. "And our good buddy Luther will have our hides for that."

"If the players don't get us first," Amera said.

"So what's the plan? We don't have the proper ease of use, I guess, to let us fix it," stated Oreas.

"That's what this is for." Shar held out the installer which Amera took, looking it over. "I've encoded the viruses in there and how to correct them, we just need administrator permission and abilities."

"How do we get that?" Leiria asked, having heard the conversation, stepping up to join it.

Shar looked over at her sister. "We need a manager's consent, along with their password to enable us to get into their account."

"We can rule out Azazer and Belzeber," Oreas said, glancing up at Amera. "She's on their hate list, so I doubt they'd lend any of us that responsibility."

"What about Blair?" Aire inquired. "She likes us."

"She's out," Amera said. "She's beta testing a new game and she cant be reached for several days. She sent me an email."

"Well, that leaves the Owner," Shar said and as the words left her mouth, an unnatural silence came over them.

"Don't suppose we could, yah know, just upload the thing and send it to him electronically, do you?" asked the hopeful Oreas, only to have his thoughts shot down by his female counterpart.

"This is far too case sensitive to just email it to him. Someone needs to hand deliver it to him. Judging by everyone enthusiasm, I can only guess that I'll have a volunteer," she said with sarcasm to be met with more stillness. "Someone needs to do it."

"It is you and Amera's project, you two should do it," declared Aire. The two women exchanged quick glances.

"You sure do sell out your friends quickly," Amera said with a thick tongue, folding her arms in the knowledge that he was right.

"It's only fair," he responded.

"I suppose it has to be us. It is _our_ problem," Shar said, turning towards her. "I'll send a quick email labeled urgent to get his attention and set up some type of appointment." She turned and walked off.

Oreas lifted his head and caught Amera's mixture of emotions as they flickered across her face. "Hey, calm down. You've been with us for two years, far too long to fire. Just stay calm."

"I'm not afraid," she said, stating the truth. "It's a far different feeling."


	5. Chapter 5

**I know that in the Eternal Sphere, you just project yourself into it and make the character in your likeness, but I thought I should just to slightly tweek that idea slightly, and allow two types of gameplay on it. One like a regular MMORPG like WOW, and one where it is possible to make yourself a character. So I hope that explains what Oreas was doing in the last chapter.**

* * *

Amera had drawn the short straw when it came down to it. The Owner had responded to Shar's message almost immediately, stating that he would only see one of them, refusing to be bothered by two for it would cost him precious time. Oreas and Aire could only watch as the who tried to must up their own courage to volunteer to meet with their boss which they hadn't seen in quite some time. Having being the latest addition to the team, the odds were against her when she was chosen unanimously by the others.

So that is how she came to walking through the blue-grey halls, staring at the CD in her hands, unsure how the meeting would go. Though the email they had received stated that he required the disc right away, she couldn't help it as she strode slowly and unhurried towards the elevator.

The transportation using the high-speed hauler to Floor 211 made her slightly nauseous, perhaps because it was such a long ways from the Fifth Floor on which she worked, or maybe it was the eminent that was to come, she wasn't entirely sure.

She continued on before she stopped before the door, gazing at the designs that adored it, noticing that there was no name or label indicating that it was the Owner's office. Taking a deep breath, she adjusted her clothing, straightening her garments and the traditional outfits all Sphere workers sported. She pulled her hair over her shoulder, dark brown tresses fanning her shoulder.

_Why are you getting so worked up? _she considered. _He's only your boss. And probably one of the most powerful men in 4D space, but that's besides the point. _Slowly, she lifted her hand and pushed a button on a panel near the door, the intercom button.

"Amera Phalan," she stated.

"Yes, enter," came a response through the speaker on a board. Amera pressed another key and the door slid open, allowing her to step inside.

The office was rather large and open, the floor an expensive mineral much like marble. Though there were no windows it was overly bright, the lights above directed down with an intense glow. A desk sat in the middle of the room along with a chair, three screens surrounding it, much like her own computer mainframe but far larger and most likely more complex, being responsible for a large majority of the Eternal Sphere's overall being.

He stood across the room, the man for whom she worked, his side turned towards her as he read a document in his hands, eyes quickly scanning the words, blond hair across his face. As she approached, his eyes moved from the manuscript to his employee, and a blatant smile appeared on his lips.

"Ahh, Amera," Luther said, addressing her by her first name. He moved towards his desk, placing the paper down nonchalantly. "I believe you have something for me."

"Yes, Owner," she replied, gaining her composure and she advanced. "According to Shar, this should delete the viruses and protect Server 39 against them." She held out the installer which he lifted his gloved hand to take, the golden shawl of his clothing hoisting up, reviling his arm covered in black clothing.

"Perhaps more could be done on that host," he said as he received it, his voice smooth and less aggressive as she remembered, as well as his looks. He lifted his head to look at her as she watched, standing with her arms straight. "You're still rather new here aren't you?"

"I've been working here for two years, sir," she replied.

"Pity that in all that time I've been busy, too busy to be acquainted with my staff, I'm afraid." He placed the disc down on his glass desk, giving it only a small glance. "Perhaps I should change that. Hopefully I will have the time in order to do so." Amera only watched with slight puzzlement as the brazen grin appeared yet again. "If it is at all possible for you to break away from your demanding schedule," her superior mused.

"Of course, Owner," she replied.

"Wonderful. Now, if you would please excuse me, there are things that require my attention," he said and she stepped away, catching the advice. "Oh, and one more thing," he whispered as she neared the door, "your assistance with Belzeber's mutinous nature is greatly appreciated."

She smiled honestly, matching his own smirk. "Anything to help the company, sir."


	6. Chapter 6

Oreas was the first to jump from his chair and rush towards her when Amera emerged from the elevator behind their station when she had come back down. Bounding as well, he was soon accompanied by Shar and Aire, Leiria absent.

"Glad to see you're still alive," he grinned, beaming widely. "Seeing how we haven't seen our dear boss longer than you have, how'd it go?"

"Fine, and of course I'm still alive. Why wouldn't I be?" she asked.

"Well, you probably won't remember Eleanor Duran, but the previous Owner Daguon tried to get rid of her because she was dubbed dangerous to the company and outranked even the president in programming and management. Luckily she was all right in the end. So I just figured, ya know…"

"Shut up Oreas," Shar said, pushing him away so she could address Amera. "Did he take the disc?"

"Yes, though he didn't give it much attention," she replied.

"He was probably too busy oglin' you. Probably forgot what you looked like," Oreas said with an idiotic grin only to be hit by Aire who had received the O.K. look from Amera.

"Hopefully he gets to that soon," Shar commented, holding a hand up to her lip.

"Its out of our hands now," Aire said, gaining their attention. "Let the Owner deal with it."

Amera looked around, noticing the other programmers absence. "Where's Leiria?" she asked.

"Out in Gemity," Oreas stated. "She's fixing some terminal. Onsite work is usually your division, but seeing how you were out, she volunteered."

"I'll have to thank her later then."

The group of workers split, heading to their stations and began shutting down their screens and systems. The workday was over as was the eight hours they spent daily cocooned in their digital hive. Oreas leaned over Shar's shoulder as she proceeded to switch off station.

"Hey, how about we all go get that sister of yours and head out and get something to eat. We haven't had a good get together in a while, a date is long due."

"Well, I'm up for it," Shar said, looking around as the other too joined them.

"Might as well," Aire supposed, morose as ever.

"I'll come," said Amera.

"That's good," Oreas said, "we got the boss's pet with us." And these words only earned him another slap across the head, one he knew was coming.

With that, they headed out to Gemity through the first floor post to meet up with Leiria who had finished updating the equipment. She was ecstatic to know that they had decided to convene and quickly brushed off the residue and debris she had collected while fixing the terminal. As a set, they arrived in the Lost City only to spend time arguing on where to eat and how to spend the rest of their time.

And sitting on the 211 floor in his office, Luther sat studying the disc he had accepted, the side of his face held up slightly by the knuckles of his hand, thinking heavily on things and of one employee he had just recently remembered.

* * *

**If you can't tell, I put alot of research into this, lol. And yes, Eleanor Duran is a real character from Star Ocean, look her up in your dictionary on the game. :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Suppose I forgot to mention, but this story takes place before the events of Star Ocean 3, thought I'd clear that up :\. Late update, sorry!**

* * *

Amera was happy to mingle with her friends as she watched them from across the room and her reaction to the email she had received on her own monitor was slightly delayed. She ran a finger over it and it opened: a message from Blair.

_Completing the beta proceeded quicker than I had thought. If it is at all possible, could you please come to my office when you have the time. There are things I'd like to speak with you about._

Blair Lansfeld

Amera stared at the screen for sometime, absent minded, as she began to type a reply, one stating that she would accept the invitation at the closing of her shift in only a few minutes' time. Her work had already been completed, and the group had begun to watch players as they participated in the Eternal Sphere during the third Tetragenesis war.

Oreas pointed to the screen at his desk as his coworkers surrounded him. "Hey, isn't that that kid that Blair plays with occasionally?" he indicated, suggesting a character, the name Major Alex blinking above him.

"Major Alex," Aire murmured, thinking heavily. "Give me a second and I'll look." With that, he moved away from the group to his station, quickly logging onto the network.

"Hey, you think that the Owner plays this?" Oreas contemplated as Amera approached. "It is his game after all."

"He probably cheats," Shar said, folding her arms. "Makes his characters super strong so no one can beat him. Kind of like what you do."

Oreas grinned. "Yup."

Aire soon returned, holding a sheet of paper in his hands. "Well," he started, "you were right in assuming about that character. His name is Flad Garrand from Archives, just a small kid. Supposedly, he shot down more than 574 army planes in this war."

"574?" blinked Oreas. "You know how long that would have taken him? Weeks!"

"Yes, weeks."

"Glad to know that people are hooked onto the game at least," Leiria stated. "We must be doing a good job."

"That kid has to be a zombie by now though. I can't even play that long, and I make the game!" Oreas exclaimed.

"You start zoning out if you stare at a computer screen too long," Aire chimed. "I'm still wondering how you even got here."

"Shut it, Aire."

As the workers bickered, Amera stepped away, starting down the hall towards the elevator, allowing her time to reach Blair's workplace with a slow pace. _I wonder what she needs me for…_, she questioned herself.

A light flash indicated that Amera had arrived outside Blair's office, the door opening to allow her in. As she was the Owner's sister and second in command of the whole company, her place of work was far more vital than the one the encoders endured. The room was spacious and very much like Luther's, lights above, a desk near the back where Blair now sat, typing furiously at her mainframe. She lifted her head as the entrance opened and smiled at who entered.

"Amera, good to see you," she welcomed, standing to meet her as her counterpart approached. "Been a while since we've been face to face, seeing how emails are so much more efficient and quicker. How have you been?"

"Well enough," responded the programmer, gripping her manager's hand in a greeting. "Tolerating Belzeber's constant nonsense."

Blair grinned. "He's not always the easiest to get along with, I can understand your point of view. But please, take a seat, I wanted to talk to you about something."

She took the offer and seated herself in a chair across the table as her administrator rested herself at her own counter. "I heard that you recently braved the horror of meeting with my brother," she started, closing the mainframe screens so only air separated them.

"Yes, I was the scapegoat in a way," nodded Amera.

"Is he really that intimidating? I've never noticed."

"Probably because he is your sibling. The others find him daunting."

"And you don't?"

Amera blinked without an answer as Blair smiled. "Oh, it's nothing," she finally said. "I'm just curious and poking my nose where it doesn't belong."

"Perhaps being anxious is a type of respect for your boss," Amera replied.

"You don't seem to hold that kind of esteem for a few others, including Belzeber."

The programmer frowned, at a loss for words, unsure how to respond.

"Nevermind, I'll stop prodding," her supervisor said, still holding true to her smile. "Anyways, I've been told to ask you a favor."

"Favor? Like what?"

"You know of the Annual Council, correct?" Amera shook her head, uncertain if she had heard of it. "It's a type of gather, of sorts, between the directors and executives within all the companies in the Lost City. Seeing how Sphere is the largest and most prominent, it's impossible for us not to attend. For the past several years, however, the Owner has permitted me and a few others to go in his stead. But this year, he is able to present himself."

"What exactly do you do at this council?" asked the encoder.

"Converse, put on a false face of happiness and greet each other. We put every business procedure and conflicts behind us. Think of it like a type of ball. And that's where you come in."

A brief pause came between them. "What do you mean?"

"Guests are allowed, such as wives and husbands. I've been ask to relay to you that the Owner would appreciate it if you accompanied him this year."

Amera blinked, overcome with slight shock. "I-I don't-"

"Of course, it's your decision if you chose to accept the invite, or decline it. I'm sure he would understand. And before you ask, I don't believe that he'd fire you if you refused," Blair said, grinning.

Wordless, the programmer simply gaped. "I'm not sure what to say."

"I understand if you would like to take your time on the decision, I wont ask for it now, unless, of course, you already have an answer."

Thoughts rushed through her mind, any attempt to sort them was quickly crushed. "I…I'd love to go."

"Love? An interesting choice of words. But splendid nonetheless!" Blair jumped for her chair and held out a previously filled out slip of paper, apparently knowing the eminent answer. "That is the time, date, and where to meet. It's in a week, so I hope you didn't have any plans."

She accepted the manuscript, staring at it blankly. "No. Nothing."

"The Owner will be glad to know you'll be coming. I'll inform him as soon a possible."

"Thank you…I think."

"If you have any questions, simply contact me any way you feel appropriate. Till then, have a great week."

Unconsciously, Amera turned and exited the room, walking very slow, staring at the words at the top of the sheet:

**Annual Council**

--

To preserve what little dignity she held, Amera chose not to inform the others about


	8. Chapter 8

To preserve what little dignity she had, Amera chose not to inform the others of her invitation, knowing of the jests Oreas was sure to pull. The rest of the week she spent anxiously worrying about the event, surrounded by her computer frames, working silently on her appointed tasks. The final night before the party arrived and the daily activities went uninterrupted as the group watched Aire read the routine procedures.

"Leiria, you are to finish the background checks on the last 2000 W-Z on all servers players while Shar updates web information," he stated.

"Why don't we get any work?" Oreas whined.

"I thought you'd like that, just sitting around all day," Amera pointed out, resting her chin on her palm.

"It gets boring. You know, losing at the same game over and over again gets a little repetitive."

"I'm sure it does," Aire jeered.

"Well," Amera said, standing from her spot around the break table they had all conglomerated around, "I have permission to take leave early today."

"Wow," Leiria awed, "no one ever gets that."

"She's special," Aire commented.

"Special or not, I have things I have to do tonight."

"Like what?" Shar asked.

"I can't tell you that."

"She has secrets as well," mused Aire.

"Think what you want," Amera said, glaring at him. "But I'll see all of you in a few days."

"She gets time off, too."

* * *

She looked down at the dress she wore, an elegant piece, bright white in color with light blue trim. Blair had been the one to pick it out, but Amera wasn't so sure if she liked it or not. Her dark hair contrasted the vivid colorless silk, the cloth soft against her skin. She was adored in but one necklace around her neck, the only one that she felt would be appropriate with the occasion. The chain glimmered and was of silver, a large sapphire wrapped in its coils as it hung low to the collar of her costume.

All in all, as she looked in the mirror with a hesitant look, she tried to reassure herself that she didn't look as bad as the reflection appeared.

The instructions she had been given said that Luther himself would arrive at her home (how he knew where she lived, she had no clue) and pick her up personally. When it neared 8, the time in which he was to arrive, she paced quickly about her living room, constantly checking the clock.

Her house was small, just big enough for one person to live in with all the accommodations of furniture and an entertainment screen. There were two rooms without counting the lounge, her room and a guest room she had never used, finding little people to invite over. An advanced teleporter, the standard in which all abodes had to be equipped was located near the back, used to assist her in traveling to and from work. Others would have considered it far too undersized to be called a residence, but it didn't matter all that much to her.

A light rasping was heard faintly on her front door and she glanced up at it cautiously. Straightening out her garments, she walked quickly to the entrance and pressed the code needed to unlock the automatic door. And as it swung slowly to the left, there before her stood Luther Lansfeld, the most powerful man in 4D space, dressed in his standard clothing: gold, black, white.

"Amera Phalan," he stated before she could politely greet him, "you look wonderful tonight. I am glad that you chose to accompany me tonight. It would have been utterly dull if I had to attend solo again."

"I'm still surprised that you've considered me. It's an honor," she said, trying to sound professional, he was, after all her boss.

"I'd hate for you to think that way," he commented, causing her to lift her head to gaze up at him. "It's just a simple ball, hardly anything that would be considered a privilege." She stepped away and allowed him to enter, quickly entering the numbers to seal the door. "Oh, and one more thing. Please, address me simply as Luther, not Owner or Mr. Lansfeld. No formalities after hours," he said with a coy grin.

"That might be difficult," she admitted.

"Oh? Why is that? Is it respect for your higher ups?" Amera blinked. _Did he listen in to everything she had said?_

"I suppose you could say that," she finally replied as he glanced about at the clean home she had spent hours tidying.

"So, this is where you live," he ruminated, eyeing everything with speculation and amusement. "It's rather small."

"I live alone, so there's no need for larger quarters."

"Alone? Have you no family?"

"My parents live on the border of Archives and I don't see them all that often."

"And no significant other?" He watched her with blue eyes, devious smile across his lips.

"No," she replied slowly after an awkward pause.

"Well, perhaps I should have guards posted around your home. It is my responsibility to assure your safety. You are, after all, an asset to the company."

"I don't think that will be necessary. I have security measures around that protect me."

"If you insist, I won't prod into the matter."

She stood for a second, forgetting for a moment where she was as she swam through her mind. "This way, to the teleporter."

The machine was like any other throughout the Lost City, as well as Sphere itself. A panel with coded numbers and symbols was to the right of the bright stream used to carry people and objects. Luther crossed his arms.

"I'm assuming you have the coordinates," Amera inquired, standing near the pane.

"Of course. You should know that I'm always prepared with these things."

Instead of giving her the codes, he approached and typed them in rapidly himself, a message stating the location appearing on the display. The transporter began to glow soft blue and was ready to convey them to their destination.

Both approached the device as it hummed quietly and Luther cast a look over his shoulder. "Well, shall we?" He gripped her hand warmly and stepped into the machine, welcoming the ever so customary feeling of being washed away.


End file.
